Perhaps, but I think that a cleanup hitter remains the biggest priority. Therefore, the guy they get better fill that hole.

If you get a guy who is going to hit somewhere else in the lineup, who bats cleanup, behind Abreu?

 

Not saying you don't acquire someone who fits well in the cleanup spot, but OF defense is far important in my opinion. For instance, Upton would probably be a more prototypical 4 hole hitter but Heyward would be a much better pickup due to his elite defense. Both are very nice bats, obviously.

Not saying you don't acquire someone who fits well in the cleanup spot, but OF defense is far important in my opinion. For instance, Upton would probably be a more prototypical 4 hole hitter but Heyward would be a much better pickup due to his elite defense. Both are very nice bats, obviously.

 

OK, so what does the first 6 spots in your lineup look like, with Heyward?

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by Lillian

Not saying you don't acquire someone who fits well in the cleanup spot, but OF defense is far important in my opinion. For instance, Upton would probably be a more prototypical 4 hole hitter but Heyward would be a much better pickup due to his elite defense. Both are very nice bats, obviously.

 

 

or you could go and get a pedro alvarez, he has great defense for the dh ... and great power.

OK, so what does the first 6 spots in your lineup look like, with Hayward?

 

Depends on corresponding moves too (who's gone out of Garcia, LaRoche, Melky?).

OK, so what does the first 6 spots in your lineup look like, with Hayward?

 

Heyward has decent pop and gets on base at a good clip. He could bat 3rd with Abreu being the cleanup hitter you're looking for.

OK, so what does the first 6 spots in your lineup look like, with Hayward?

 

Eaton

Heyward

Abreu

LaRoche

Cabrera

?

 

I imagine your 3B would be in there somewhere

Perhaps, but I think that a cleanup hitter remains the biggest priority. Therefore, the guy they get better fill that hole.

If you get a guy who is going to hit somewhere else in the lineup, who bats cleanup, behind Abreu?

 

I agree with you. Abreu needs protection. I think the defense can be mixed and matched once you have some type of offense. Sox have defensive players in their system, but their offense is beyond putrid besides Abreu and maybe Eaton. I'm fine with CarGo and Heyward(which is least probable). I'd be happy with CarGo and Cespedes or CarGo and Upton. Whichever is cheapest I suppose. From there, I'm fine with filling in the gaps with defensive first players.

Heyward has decent pop and gets on base at a good clip. He could bat 3rd with Abreu being the cleanup hitter you're looking for.

 

 

Eaton

Heyward

Abreu

LaRoche

Cabrera

?

 

I imagine your 3B would be in there somewhere

 

I hate that lineup and any lineup that depends on LaRoche or Cabrera as your 4th best hitter.

Eaton

Heyward

Abreu

LaRoche

Cabrera

?

 

I imagine your 3B would be in there somewhere

 

Please don't tell me that you would spend all that money on a guy like Heyward, and then have a lineup with Adam LaRoche batting cleanup!!!! I don't want to see him anywhere near the heart of the order.

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by Lillian

Heyward has decent pop and gets on base at a good clip. He could bat 3rd with Abreu being the cleanup hitter you're looking for.

 

Do you really think that Heyward is a #3 hitter? I'm sorry, but I can't get enthused about that.

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by Lillian

Please don't tell me that you would spend all that money on a guy like Hayward, and then have a lineup with Adam LaRoche batting cleanup!!!! I don't want to see him anywhere near the heart of the order.

Hah, get ready to be disappointed because if he's on threat, he'll like be batting 4,5 or 6.

 

On the team* not threat. Damn autocorrect

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by ChiSox59

Do you really think that Hayward is a #3 hitter? I'm sorry, but I can't get enthused about that.

 

I think he's of a #2. Only time he's a 3 hitter is if Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are batting before and after him.

Do you really think that Hayward is a #3 hitter? I'm sorry, but I can't get enthused about that.

 

I really don't see why he can't be looked at as a #3 hitter.

 

The world champion Royals used Lorenzo Cain as their #3 all year and he isn't what I would call a power hitter.

I think he's of a #2. Only time he's a 3 hitter is if Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are batting before and after him.

Agreed. Heyward's BA, OBP and somewhat lack of power make him a good #2. Eaton and Heyward at the top of the order should give Abreu a ton of RBI opportunities.

 

Problem is it doesn't solve the cleanup hitter problem.

 

You know what the lineup needs? It needs more CarGo!

I think he's of a #2. Only time he's a 3 hitter is if Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are batting before and after him.

 

If he were in a lineup with those guys, he would still bat somewhere other than 3RD, probably 2ND. Cabrera and Pujols would be 3RD and 4TH. Perhaps on another team, he could bat 3RD, but this Sox team is not going to have 8 or 9 good hitters. They better be productive 1 - 5

Edited December 8, 201510 yr by Lillian

Hah, get ready to be disappointed because if he's on threat, he'll like be batting 4,5 or 6.

 

I could live with La Roche batting 6TH, if he shows signs of improvement, over last season, which I doubt, given that he has turned 36, already. At any rate, I don't consider 6TH, the "heart" of the order.

I could live with La Roche batting 6TH, if he shows signs of improvement, over last season, which I doubt, given that he has turned 36, already. At any rate, I don't consider 6TH, the "heart" of the order.

I would bank of LaRoche being closer to his career averages than last year's production. I'd bet the same thing from Melky as well. Would bet more on Melky, but LaRoche is going to be a much better player next year, imo (I think that injury and just the whole mental impacts of the struggles really nailed his season). That or he'll be cut by May because it will be extremely evident that he's no longer capable of playing in the majors (and fell off a cliff due to age).

I would bank of LaRoche being closer to his career averages than last year's production. I'd bet the same thing from Melky as well. Would bet more on Melky, but LaRoche is going to be a much better player next year, imo (I think that injury and just the whole mental impacts of the struggles really nailed his season). That or he'll be cut by May because it will be extremely evident that he's no longer capable of playing in the majors (and fell off a cliff due to age).

 

I hope you're right. Just how bad was that injury? I don't remember much talk of his being hurt. But then, I missed a lot of game broadcasts. The only injury I remember was the knee problem, which was in September, as I recall. He was awful all year, before that.

I hope you're right. Just how bad was that injury? I don't remember much talk of his being hurt. But then, I missed a lot of game broadcasts. The only injury I remember was the knee problem, which was in September, as I recall. He was awful all year, before that.

He had a hand / hammate injury, if I recall. He never complained about it, but its the type of injury that could really drain / suck the power out of your swing, imo. And its the type of injury that I'd think you couldn't play through (nor would it heal without significant rest).

So no new rumors tonight?

So no new rumors tonight?

 

Winter Meetings seem dead. What's funny is, whenever they predict a lot of activity, it's usually dead. When they don't predict anything, that's when trades happen. MLBTradeRumors has been updating the same story with very little throughout the day.

So no new rumors tonight?

 

I don't know...wish we had a catch-all thread for rumors....

Winter Meetings seem dead. What's funny is, whenever they predict a lot of activity, it's usually dead. When they don't predict anything, that's when trades happen. MLBTradeRumors has been updating the same story with very little throughout the day.

 

It's only Day 1 of 4. Things will pick-up, I promise you.

I could really use a rumour right now.

Seems like Heyward will be the first to go, followed by Gordon and then Cespedes/Upton. I expect once the Cubs trade Soler, that's when outfielders start making their decision.